Is There a Difference in Graft Motion for Bone-Tendon-Bone and Hamstring Autograft ACL Reconstruction at 6 Weeks and 1 Year?

Background:Bone–patellar tendon–bone (BTB) grafts are generally believed to heal more quickly than soft tissue grafts after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, but little is known about the time course of healing or motion of the grafts within the bone tunnels.Hypothesis:Graft-tunnel motion will be greater in hamstring (HS) grafts compared with BTB grafts and will be less at 1 year than at 6 weeks.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Twelve patients underwent anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction using HS or BTB autografts (6 per group) with six 0.8-mm tantalum beads embedded in each graft. Dynamic stereo x-ray images were collected at 6 weeks and 1 year during treadmill walking and stair descent and at 1 year during treadmill running. Tibiofemoral kinematics and bead positions were evaluated. Graft-tunnel motion was based on bead range of motion during the loading response phase (first 10%) of the gait cycle.Results:During treadmill walking, there was no difference in femoral...